Cosatu must break ties with Bawsi: Fawu

11 February |
14:48

By Daneel Knoetze

Cape Town - The rift between two unions which shared a platform in De Doorns during the farmworkers’ strike last year is deepening.

The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), a Cosatu affiliate, yesterday issued a statement slamming the Bawsi and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Bawusa) and calling on Cosatu to publicly distance itself from the independent union.

The fallout comes after Bawusa tried to “hijack” a meeting which Fawu had organised in De Doorns yesterday.

“We are now convinced that Bawusa is a reckless union that does not care about workers.

“During the meeting Nosey (Pieterse) was heard claiming that Bawusa had an affiliation with Cosatu and the ANC.

“It is our view that Bawusa has misled the public and community about several things including its role in the strike action,” said Katishi Masemola.

Tony Ehrenreich, Cosatu’s provincial secretary, said that Cosatu’s loyalty always fell with its affiliate, Fawu. However, he did not endorse Masemola’s call for the federation to distance itself from Bawusa.